The Paramount Theatre is famed in Seattle for housing Broadway musical sensations like the Lion King and Cats but on a quiet Wednesday night came a extremely popular and very undead “mouse.” Tons of electro fanatics and teens decked out in the latest neon bead jewelry flocked the streets of downtown’s historic venue to the quickly sold out all ages visual overload of Deadmau5. The entrance was lit up with discarded neon pink and green glowsticks and flickering raver toys since security tried their best to not let these items and other substances through the heavily secured doors. The fluorescent toy lights cast on the carpet became the new ‘red carpet’ for all that entered the 82 year old theatre.
South African hip hop group Die Antwoord, which means “The Answer”, was a late add to the already sold out bill to start off their very first US tour city stop. The group is fronted by the outlandish Ninja and backed up by Yo-Landi Vi$$er with the ever so calm and collected DJ Fishsticks dressed in a monk’s garment and a melting face mask. Even though the group has become an infectious sensation to music lovers all over the world, the young Deadmau5 fans in Seattle were not prepared for what Die Antwoord had to offer. Ninja came out in a scarecrow-like bunny suit, changed into their iconic white and black cryptic graphic apparel, and finished down to only his Dark Side of the Moon boxers. Ninja performed ninja-like moves while he thrusts at the air and free-styled crude and uninhibited lyrics that went past most of our heads. The impatience and “Is this a joke” attitude from the Deadmau5 crowd in the front row got Ninja and Yo-Landi fuming -resulting in constant water spitting and butt showing by Yo-Landi, directed middle fingers, and Ninja jumping into the crowd at a few nasty comment givers. Obviously frustrated Ninja finished the set and walked off the stage while Yo-Landi stayed back to give the young “rich” audience a piece of advice: to open our minds with explicit, unabashed yet hardly understandable disses at the crowd and left the stage.
The crowd went into hysteria when the stagehands revealed Deadmau5’s famous DJ setup ‘Cube,’ onstage and the silhouette of Deadmau5’s mouse helmet and body was projected multiple times on the ceilings surrounding the fans at all times. The icon of Deadmau5’s mouse head was recreated throughout the crowd with homemade stencils of the Space Needle with welcome messages to Deadmau5 to the Emerald City and built in neon lights to flash in the sea of dancing bodies. The beautiful antique chandeliers flared out the lasers from the perfected lighting effects and reflected the glow stick light from the kiddie ravers on the balconies of the majestic theatre.
DEADMAU5 SET LIST
Some Chords
Sofi Needs A Ladder
Cthulhu Sleeps
Reward Is Cheese
Bad Selection
Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff
Sometimes Things Get, Whatever
Strobe
I Said
I Remember
FML
Atrium
Not Exactly
Arguru
October
Die Antwoord Setlist
Fok Julie Naalers
Enter the Ninja
Wat Kyk Jy?
In Your Face
NINJA FREE STYLE
Rich Bitch
Fish Paste
$copie
Evil Boy
Beat Boy
Doos Dronk (ENCORE) which most likely did not happen.
I just really hope Die Antwoord will give Seattle another chance and more of a warning so that we can prepare ourselves for their raw star power.
AWESOME pix, Jackie!
When Die Antwoord played TIMF a few days later, the crowd was really receptive, but Yo-Land’s and Ninja’s antics sound just the same – spitting water, middle finger, mooning us and jumping into the crowd. Their live show is not to be missed.